


Moments After

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Episode: s05e08, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-18
Updated: 2015-08-18
Packaged: 2018-04-15 09:26:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4601589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short blips from various POVs after the firing squad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moments After

**Author's Note:**

> This doesn't technically go along with canon because I couldn't watch my lil child in front a firing squad again for research purposes nope, but it's still p. good if I do say so myself.

The man who tortured him yells “Fire!” and yells it over and over, but Ben doesn’t hear any gunshots.  There’s a cacophony of noise and he hears Dad’s voice and Ben doesn’t care about any of it, except for the sounds of Hal’s breathing.

“Hal!  Hal!” Ben screams, relieved when he hears Hal yell back.

* * *

 

The first thing Hal sees is his dad’s face, and Hal can read the mixture of fear, relief, and shame written there. 

Dad tosses the hood side with distain and takes his knife out to slice through the restraints.

“I love you,” Dad murmurs as he presses another knife into Hal’s hands. 

* * *

 

Matt looks down at his family, checking over them all to make sure they’re okay.  He had been so close to losing them all.  To being alone forever.

Once he knows everyone is alive, once he’s _sure,_ he scampers down to join them.

* * *

 

“Nice speech,” Hal tells Anne as he pulls her hood off, so she knows it’s him.   “You saved our lives.”

“I meant it,” Anne says, rubbing her wrists after Hal cuts her free.  “Both of you were so brave, and I’m so proud.”

Nothing felt brave about standing there with a hood on, not even able to look the men shooting them in the eye.

* * *

 

Ben’s face is still scarily pale as Tom pulls the hood off his head, but maybe it’s just contrasting against his black hoodie. 

Tom knows that’s not it.

“Are you okay?” Tom asks, but Ben isn’t looking at him.

* * *

 

Anne turns to see Tom pulling off Ben’s hood, waits a minute and then steps into his arms.

“Cutting it a little too close there,” Anne breathes out.  She’s careful not to press her face against his neck because it’s still so hard to breathe.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Tom murmurs back. 

* * *

 

Ben sees Hal walking over to Lt. Wolf and darts between them even though everything in his body hurts.  “Give me the knife.”

Hal looks at Ben with concern, but he hands over the knife anyway. 

It’s easy to see these men in the same uniform as the same; Ben has to prove to himself that he doesn’t. 

* * *

 

There’s an excited yell and a small body pressed against Hal’s side and Hal doesn’t have to look down to see that it’s his buddy.  “Hey, Matt.”

Hal picks Matt up even though he’s starting to get too heavy.  They’re all alive, they’re all alive, they’re all alive.

* * *

 

The boy- Ben- looks scared as he pulls Lt. Wolf’s hood off. 

Wolf tries to smile back reassuringly.  “It’s okay.”  What they did to him is hard to forgive, and they’re all somewhat responsible for not acting sooner. 

Ben’s hands are gentle as they cut him free.

* * *

 

Hal pulls Ben close, and Ben can feel his hand shaking against his back.  He feels shaky too.

Ben kisses the hair on Matt’s head as he wraps his free arm around him, helping Hal support his weight.  He had thought he’d never see his little brother again. 

* * *

 

“I am glad you are safe, Anne,” Cochise says. 

“Come here, big guy,” Anne says, hugging Cochise close.

Cochise stiffens at the unexpected contact, then embraces Anne in return.

* * *

 

Tom turns to see his three boys wrapped in a tight embrace, and he takes a minute to fight back tears because it’s so long since he’s seen them together like this.

He steps forward to hug them, to remind himself that they’re all alive.

“I love you.  All three of you.  So much.”


End file.
